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Hill's Science Diet Adult 7+ Senior Vitality Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12.5-lb bag
Hill's Science Diet

Adult 7+ Senior Vitality Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12.5-lb bag

Evidence Fair
AAFCO compliance inferred from product name
dry $5.04/lb

Hill's Science Diet Adult 7+ Senior Vitality Small Breed & Mini Breed Chicken & Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 12.5-lb bag earns a Sniff Score of 65/100 (B) with Fair evidence. Zero controversial ingredients flagged. Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source)..

Graded by The Sniff System

Why this score

Quality fat sources: named fat with marine oil (EPA and DHA source).

FQI

AAFCO feeding trial substantiation for adult maintenance.

ACF

Includes egg, named fish, or organ meat for diverse high-bioavailability protein.

STACK

Controversial ingredients · 1

  • sodium selenite
    Synthetic selenium source. Selenium is essential, but sodium selenite has a narrower safety margin than organic alternatives like selenium yeast. Better-formulated foods use the organic form.

Every flagged ingredient has a published basis (confirmed harm / regulatory action / precautionary). See methodology →

Guaranteed analysis
Dry-matter protein: 20% ⓘ
Protein
18.1%
min (as fed)
Fat
10.8%
min (as fed)
Fiber
3%
max (as fed)
Moisture
10%
max
Ingredients

Read why each ingredient is good or bad for dogs.

38 total
Good Neutral Watch Flagged
  1. 1
    chicken

    Real meat. Primary protein source, with the amino acid profile dogs actually evolved to eat.

  2. 2
    brewers rice

    Broken rice kernels left over from milling, usually destined for human beer-making. Cheaper than whole or even white rice. Same carbs, less nutrition than the brown version.

  3. 3
    peas

    Cheap protein bulk. Fine in small amounts, but when peas stack with lentils and chickpeas in the top ingredients, it's the pattern the FDA flagged in its heart-disease investigation. See why →

  4. 4
    cracked pearled barley

    Pre-cracked pearled barley for better digestibility. Same whole-grain story.

  5. 5
    oats

    Whole grain. Steady energy, soluble fiber, and well-tolerated by most dogs.

  6. 6
    whole grain corn

    Whole corn with the kernel intact. Decent fiber and B vitamins, though it can crowd out meat in cheaper recipes.

  7. 7
    egg product

    Processed whole eggs. Same nutritional profile as fresh eggs, just shelf-stable.

  8. 8
    chicken fat

    Despite the name, a high-quality energy source. Concentrated calories plus essential fatty acids like linoleic acid.

  9. 9
    chicken liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed chicken liver used as a flavor enhancer. Real ingredient, used in tiny amounts for palatability.

  10. 10
    corn protein meal

    Concentrated corn protein. Similar in role to corn gluten meal, pads the protein number on the label without matching meat amino acids.

  11. 11
    soybean oil

    Plant oil. High in omega-6, which is required but commonly oversupplied. Fine in moderation.

  12. 12
    flaxseed

    Plant source of omega-3. Helpful for skin and coat, though dogs absorb omega-3 from fish more efficiently.

  13. 13
    pork liver flavor

    Hydrolyzed pork liver used as a flavor enhancer. Same role as chicken liver flavor.

  14. 14
    lactic acid

    Natural acid used as a mild preservative and pH adjuster. Found in fermented foods too. Safe at typical inclusion.

  15. 15
    l-lysine

    Essential amino acid. Plant-protein-heavy formulas sometimes add it to round out the amino acid profile.

  16. 16
    potassium chloride

    Required mineral. Sometimes used as a salt substitute. Standard inclusion in complete diets.

  17. 17
    calcium carbonate

    Source of calcium. Functional. Required in complete dog foods, especially those without bone-in meat meals.

  18. 18
    dicalcium phosphate

    Calcium and phosphorus combined. Required source of both minerals, especially in formulas without much bone content.

  19. 19
    carrots

    Real vegetable. Fiber, beta-carotene, and a small amount of antioxidant value.

  20. 20
    dried tomato pomace

    The fiber-rich byproduct of tomato processing. Sometimes flagged unfairly. It's a real fiber source, not a filler shortcut.

  21. 21
    dried citrus pulp
  22. 22
    spinach

    Leafy green. Some iron, vitamin K, and fiber. The dose in kibble is small but it's real food.

  23. 23
    fish oil

    Concentrated omega-3s. The reason 'EPA' and 'DHA' get to show up on the bag.

  24. 24
    salt

    Sodium chloride. Required at small doses for normal physiology. Not a quality concern in standard amounts.

  25. 25
    lipoic acid

Showing first 25 of 38. Position 1-5 has the largest weight in the recipe.

23 of 25 ingredients have a curated note. Coverage grows over time.